2024 was the worst year on record for seafarer abandonment, new data from the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) reveal. According to ITF, abandonment of seafarers by shipowners increased by 87% in 2024 from the previous year.
A total 312 vessels were abandoned last year compared to 132 vessels in 2023, a staggering 136% increase. Twenty-eight ships were also responsible for abandoning multiple crews in the same year, with three vessels reported three times and 25 reported twice.
An ITF report, submitted to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), details the skyrocketing increase in the reported abandonment, and highlights the “failure of the flags of convenience’ system,” as ITF claims, “that is central to ongoing impunity for abuses of seafarers’ rights.”
Abandoned seafarers can experience months of unpaid wages, extremely poor on-board conditions, inadequate food and clean drinking water, and long periods of work without proper rest. In some cases, they are left completely stranded for months, even years, on end.
Ninety percent of abandoned vessels in 2024 sailed under a flag of convenience, ITF says.
“Sanjay” is one of these seafarers. Sanjay’s name has been changed in order to protect his identity, ITF says. Seafarers fear reprisals and blacklisting by employers for speaking out.
Stranded onboard a tug without pay for 15 of the 29 months he’s been onboard, he’s seen three different crews come and go, each crew has left the vessel unpaid.
“All I’ve had are false promises that I will be paid and allowed to leave,” he said. “I keep working despite everything because I don’t want the crew to suffer, and I am the only engineer onboard. But I’m losing hope as each day passes.”
“Sanjay” is owed around $40,000, money which is vital for his family as the only earning member. He has been forced to sell his family heirlooms to make ends meet back home.
“I haven’t told my family about what’s happened to me, I don’t want them to worry,” he explained.
“Sanjay” is one of the 899 Indian seafarers abandoned by shipowners last year. They remain the largest cohort of those stranded at sea, followed by 410 Syrians, 288 Ukrainians, 273 Filipinos and 192 Indonesians.
A total $20.1m is owed to seafarers in unpaid wages, of which the ITF has recovered $10.4m so far.
Steve Trowsdale, ITF Global inspectorate coordinator, said: “2024 was the worst year on record for seafarer abandonment.
“90% of global trade takes place through maritime transport and seafarers are the backbone of this industry. It’s an absolute disgrace that unscrupulous ship-owners are abandoning so many crews with impunity by governments and international regulators. This is nothing less than a betrayal of the key workers of global trade.”
